What to Bring (and What to Leave at Home)

What is provided in students rooms?

Student rooms are furnished with the following items:

• Extra-long twin bed and mattress (39"x80")
  • some beds at 110th St. College Residence are standard twin size
• Desk & Chair
• Clothing storage (dresser/drawer space and a closet or wardrobe space)

Furnishings vary from room to room, so unfortunately we are not able to provide furniture sizes. You can see photos of sample furniture on each residence hall page at Housing Options.

Windows will have a shade or blinds. Students may use a tension bar to hang curtains if they wish, but curtain rods cannot be installed. Window sizes vary from room to room, so unfortunately we are not able to provide dimensions before you move in.

Kitchens:

• Suite-style residence halls: kitchens have a sink, stove/oven, and refrigerator. Microwaves are not provided, but students may bring one for use.
• Sulz Tower: kitchens have a sink, stove/oven, microwave, and refrigerator.
• Elliott: kitchens have a sink, stove/oven, and microwave, but refrigerators are not provided. Student rooms have an alcove for students to bring their own mini fridge (see Elliott Hall for more information).
• Quad floors 2-8: kitchenettes have a sink, stove/oven, and microwave, but refrigerators are not provided. Students may bring a mini-fridge (see section below for more information).
• For a list of kitchen appliances not permitted in the res halls, please see Prohibited Items.
• Cookware, plates, utensils, etc. are not provided.

Note: the College no longer supplies mirrors in student rooms (although mirrors still in place have not been removed). If your room does not have a mirror, you can use one with "over-the-door" hooks (example photo). Mirrors may not be nailed or screwed into the walls, etc.

What should I bring with me?

Recommended items for all students:

• Bedding (extra-long twin sheets, 39"x80"), blankets/comforter, pillows, towels
• Season-appropriate wardrobe so you have options for New York's hot summer, cool fall, cold and potentially snowy winter and rainy spring.
• Flip-flops & shower caddy
• Laundry items, like a basket/bag, detergent & dryer sheets, iron (only permitted if they have an auto-shut-off feature)
• Emergency kit (see below)
• Renter's Insurance: if your family homeowner's or renter's insurance does not extend to cover you while away at school, we strongly encourage you to look into purchasing renter's insurance of your own.  The College accepts no responsibility for the loss of or damage to a student’s personal property, including (but not limited to) fire, theft, water damage, and the elements.  [More Information]

Listed below are some additional items you may want to bring with you to make your life in campus housing more comfortable. Bring only what can fit in your room -- the residential communities have no storage space for your personal belongings. We encourage students to pack lightly so they don't bring too much with them (you can always get more stuff later if you have room).

• Only electrical items that are UL-Listed 
• Bathrobe, towels (hand towels, wash cloths, bath towels), shower shoes
• Clothes hangers
• Book bag or knapsack
• Computer/laptop, printer, USB drive
• Fan (many residence halls do not have AC and students may not use window or portable AC units)
• First Aid kit
• Plateware & cookware for students living in locations with kitchens.
• Mini refrigerator if living in Elliott or floors 2-8 of the Quad
  • maximum allowed capacity size is 3.5 cubic feet
  • "microfridges" with a built in microwave are prohibited
• Surge protector power strip (regular extension cords are not permitted)
• American power adapters (if bringing appliances from other countries)

Suggested Emergency Kit Items

The safety of our students while on campus is always our primary concern. Should a natural disaster, severe weather conditions, or other unforeseen emergency occur, it may be necessary for students to be self-sufficient for a short period of time. To that end, all students should bring an emergency supply kit to meet their personal needs.

The kit should be stored in your room where you can grab it if needed during an evacuation.

Recommended Items to Include in a Basic Emergency Supply Kit:

• Large backpack to hold your supplies
• Battery-powered or hand crank radio or a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• First aid kit
• Dust masks to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting & duct tape to shelter-in-place
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
• Sturdy hiking boots or other shoes
• Extra clothes, including rain gear
• Emergency phone numbers for your family & friends
• Packaged/non-perishable snacks/food
• Reusable water bottle

Additional Items to Consider Adding to your Emergency Supply Kit:

• Cash (small bills)
• Copy of medical insurance card
• Map of the city/region
• Prescription medications and glasses
• Sleeping bag or warm/emergency blanket
• Personal hygiene items
• Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or information from www.ready.gov
• Paper and pencil
• Books, cards, non-electric games, puzzles or other activities to pass the time

For more information, please visit the NYC Emergency Management website.

Be prepared for COVID-19 or other public health situations:

• A thermometer
• Several high-quality, well-fitting masks
• Sanitizing wipes and hand sanitizer 
• Over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil).
• Antigen test kits, which are now widely available for both purchase and at no cost to yo

What to Leave at Home

• All of your books and notes from high school
• Your entire wardrobe
• Ethernet cords (all rooms campus has WiFi)
• Quarters (the cost of laundry is included in your room price)

There will be limited space in your room, so we encourage you not to overpack. Items you may need later can be bought locally, ordered online, or sent from home. Make your move-in motto: "When in doubt, leave it out!"

Please also see the list of items that are prohibited and not allowed in the residence halls at http://barnard.edu/reslife/policies/prohibited-items.

Prohibited Items

For the full list of items not allowed in the residence halls, please visit http://barnard.edu/reslife/policies/prohibited-items